Tag Archives: favorite

My S’ip by S’well thermos from Target. Bret saw it and knew I would like it. It’s yellow and has a bunch of little honey bees on it. Keeps my cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot for way longer than a normal water bottle.

Summer board shorts I found on amazon. I always feel a little exposed in my bikini, but I’m really liking these swim shorts. They’re conservative, cute, and comfortable. I got a pair in coral and in aqua because they are super inexpensive. I recommend getting one size bigger than you normally wear in shorts.

Chicken Soup from La Especial Norte. Recovering from surgery means lots of couch time, Gilmore Girls, good books, and soup. The BEST soup I’ve ever had is from La Especial Norte and it totally hit the spot.

Happy February…or End of February is more like it…haha! I’m really up to the final hour with this one. But I didn’t want to miss sharing my favorite things with you.

Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice. I have always loved citrus and acidity, but I always forget about grapefruit juice! I bought it this month and love pouring myself a glass. It’s so refreshing and full of Vitamin C.

Watching re-runs of Friends on Netflix. Friends is always good for a laugh and, even though I have seen it a million times, I still love it. We are looking forward to the episodes with Paul Rudd coming up soon.

Painted Nails. I usually have plain nails and I pick at them. It’s a horrible habit and they never look pretty. This February, I kept them groomed and painted and I have been loving it.

I’ll post some more things I’m loving in March! What are 3 things you’re loving right now?

This one of my husband’s favorite dinners. I make it at least twice a month in our kitchen. And then we have leftovers to use in other dishes -like classic chicken pot pie, cheesy chicken enchiladas, or fresh chicken noodle soup!

It quite literally is the PERFECT roast chicken.

At first it seemed daunting…but the truth is, when you are following a Barefoot Contessa recipe, there is not much that can go wrong. I did make a few variations, catering to some of the things Bret and I like (root veggies, for example). This meal is sure to impress any dinner guest, and (as an added bonus) it is one of “the world’s easiest dinners.”

Here’s my recipe adopted from the amazing Ina Garten:

Ingredients:

1 5-6 pound chicken

Kosher salt & black pepper

1 hefty bunch of fresh thyme

1 lemon cut in half

2 tbsp of garlic minced

2 tbsp of butter, melted

1 sweet onion, chopped in large slices

2 large carrots, chopped in large pieces

2 large potatoes (any kind), chopped in large pieces

6 inches of cooking twine

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Prep all ingredients and chop the veggies prior to handling the chicken.

3. Remove the giblets from inside the chicken cavity. Rinse the inside and outside of the chicken. Remove any excess pinfeathers or fat. Pat dry. Place the chicken on it’s back (legs facing upward) in a cast iron skillet or other roasting pan.

4. Generously salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the inside of the chicken with all the lemon, garlic, and thyme.

5. Brush the top of the chicken with the melted butter and sprinkle with S&P. Tie the legs together with your cooking twine and tuck the wings under the body as much as possible.

6. Place the onion slices, carrots, and potatoes around the chicken in the skillet.

7. Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Cut off cooking twine, carve & serve immediately with the roasted veggies. Lastly, enjoy!

Below you will see a photo of a roast chicken with all the veggies from the recipe above and another photo of a roast chicken with just onion (no carrots or potatoes).

I hope you try this recipe and see for yourself how perfect a roast chicken can taste!
Let me know if you have any questions!